Wilderness First Aid (WFA)

This fun, hands-on course covers a lot in 2 days:

• CPR, AED, and basic life support skills
• Major problems with critical body systems such as shock, respiratory problems, and brain injuries
• Assessing and splinting bone, muscle, and joint injuries
• Spine injury management
• Allergies and anaphylaxis
• Medical emergencies such as heart problems, asthma, and diabetes
• Wound and burn management
• Environmental problems such as hypothermia, heat illnesses, lightning, and drowning
• And more…

This wilderness first aid training prepares you to:

• make decisions on whether injuries are serious or not
• improvise equipment
• provide life-saving treatments
• assist those with more training

• Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification
• CPR A (CPR for adults, includes AED training) certification

If you'd like CPR C (CPR for adults, children, and infants, includes AED training) certification, let us know beforehand and speak to your instructor at the start of the course. They can provide some extra time to go over this information free of charge.

Your certification is valid for 3 years from the date of issue. Included materials: SOAP note booklet, waterproof WMA pocket guide

Daily schedule

After registering, participants will receive a Student Information Package by email with specific meeting times for their wilderness first aid course. Typically classes are from 8:00am – 6:00pm.

Typical day

A typical day on a Wilderness First Aid course includes a mix of indoor and outdoor time. You’ll learn from a combination of demonstrations, practical drills, small group simulations, short lectures, discussions, and review exercises.

Prerequisites and pre-course prep

There is required pre-course work for Wilderness First Aid (WFA).

Once you register, you’ll be sent a link to our online learning platform. Budget 12+ hours to read the course material and answer questions in an online Study Guide. The course uses The Outward Bound Wilderness First Aid Handbook, by Jeff Isaac.

Doing the pre-course prep will pave the way for a successful learning experience for you.

Assessment and evaluation for certification

Your professional and friendly instructors will be assessing your knowledge and practical skills on an ongoing basis throughout the course. 

Instructors will do everything they can to accommodate students with different learning styles and needs. Let us know what we can do to help you succeed.

Attendance is mandatory

Attendance for 100% of class time is mandatory. If you cannot make a session you must get permission from the instructor in advance. Students who miss a section of the course without pre-approval may be asked to leave the course for the sake and safety of the other students.

Please bring appropriate clothing and equipment to be comfortable outdoors for the entire day…

…this means (for late fall, winter, and early spring courses) lots of thick, warm layers and extra toques, mitts, socks, and footwear—and lots of snack food.

If you eat well, layer-up, and have extra dry items to change into, you’ll stay functional, get the most out of your training, and have the best chance of achieving certification.

Checklist

Equipment and Supplies

• A large backpack so you can carry extra food, water, clothing, and equipment for yourself
• Day pack for storing your clothing and belongings during class
• Drybag or waterproof stuff sack to keep your textbooks and learning materials in throughout the course (to leave in the outdoor ‘classroom’ area)
• A set of clothing that can be stained and cut during simulations (expect to throw these away)
• Face masks (non-surgical) which covers your nose, mouth, and chin
• Eye protection: this must be commercial eye protection with side
  guards. Prescription glasses alone are not safety eyewear. The eyewear must have side shields. Full face shields are also acceptable.
• Hand sanitizer with 80% alcohol
• Notebook and pens
• Waterproof digital watch (for taking vital signs). This is mandatory, you can’t use a smart phone.
• Water bottle(s) or hydration pack x 2 litres
• Snack foods (lots!)
• Lunch
• Sunscreen
• Bug repellent and headnet (season dependent)
• Headlamp with extra batteries
• Something to sit and lie on outside such as an insulate pad
• Personal medications
• Personal hygiene products
• Optional: Sunglasses
• Optional: Coffee or tea thermos
• Optional: Waterproof paper and pen
• Optional: Skis, snowshoes (for winter courses), bicycle, or hiking gear (for spring, summer, fall)

Clothing

• Synthetic or wool base layers top and bottom Synthetic or wool insulation layers
• Waterproof jacket and pants
• Warm socks (pack extras)
• *Shoes or boots appropriate for weather and rough terrain – an extra pair in case one gets wet is a good idea.
• 2 x Toque (warm hat), scarf or neck warmer (winter courses), or sun hat
• 2 or 3 x Liner gloves / mitts and *over mittens (winter courses)
• *Note: in cold conditions, roominess in your boots and mitts makes all the difference for warmth. If they’re too tight fitting—your feet and hands will be cold.